Azimjon Askarov
Askarov died July 25, 2020 after contracting pneumonia in Kyrgyz state custody. He was serving a life sentence for alleged involvement in ethnic violence, a charge understood as politically-motivated… More
Yang Tongyang Yang Tianshui
Persecuted for his role in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Yang spent over two decades in prison for counter-revolutionary activity, from 1990-2000 and 2005-2017. He died of brain cancer… More
Kitzito Mihigo
Musician Mihigo was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly plotting to kill President Paul Kagame and for inciting hate against the government. He was pardoned… More
Liu Xiaobo
A pro-democracy activist and writer, Liu was arrested in 2009, charged with “inciting subversion of state power,” and sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2010 for penning seven… More
Yang Tongyan | Status: Death in Custody | China
A writer and member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, Yang Tongyan was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for “subversion of state power,” and died in November 2017 while… More
Liu Xiaobo | Status: Death in Custody | China
Liu Xiaobo, a renowned literary critic, writer, political activist, and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was charged with "inciting subversion of state power," and sentenced to 11-years in prison… More
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Are you an artist at risk or know someone who is?
PEN America On 
Keep calm and curl up with a good book about #democracy, #disinformation, or #votingrights--it's at least more soothing than Twitter! @PENamerica has some suggestions.
https://pen.org/what-to-expect-when-youre-electing-reading-list/
NEW: Yet another member of @pen_belarus has been detained for speaking out against the Belarusian government. Poet Dmitry Strotsev was sentenced to 13 days in prison after taking part in a peaceful demonstration.
Our statement. https://pen.org/press-release/poet-and-pen-belarus-member-imprisoned-for-demonstrating/
In the leadup to #Election2020 we're turning to the words of writers for their perspectives on how to use their voices for change. Hear from @rokwon for @ellemagazine, on the discipline of hope and the power of collective action https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a34384183/ro-kwon-activism-essay/